Our Best Health Tips for 2022

 

Another new year is upon us. While neither of us are big fans of ‘new year’s resolutions’ per say, it is a great time to reflect on how your previous 365 days went. Looking at what goals you achieved and the time to lay out a strong foundation of positivity, health and happiness for the next trip around the sun.

While you are looking at the year ahead, we encourage you to make room for yourself and your health. Often people don’t make their health a priority until they have a shake up or a scare about their personal health and wellness. By then, it can often be too little, too late. So, to help you on your path to personal health, we have created our top ten tips for a healthier you in 2022.

  1. Make sleep a priority – sleep plays an integral role in your physical and mental health. When you sleep, it gives your body a chance to relax and heal your cells, including your heart and blood vessels. It also gives your brain a chance to reboot and help improve concentration and productivity.
  2. Take care of your brain – our brain takes up 5% of our body weight but uses 20% of our energy. Sounds like a ‘no brainer’ to take care of your brain, but what do you consciously do daily to ensure brain health is a priority? Playing brain games every day such a Luminosity, a game of cards or chess, or playing an instrument will all help exercise your brain. The foods we eat can also really make a difference. Blueberries, green tea, dark chocolate, avocados, pumpkin seed, eggs, walnuts, broccoli and oily fish are all great brain foods.
  3. Be active on some level every day – Dan Buettner studies the ‘Blue Zones’ around the world, which are areas in which there are a higher than average number of people living into their 100’s. The commonalities between the people living there is what he studies. Time and time again, people who are active every day live a longer, healthier life. That doesn’t mean you have to go hard at the gym two hours every day. That means getting out for a walk every day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to the store instead of driving, puttering around your veggie garden in the summer sun. Get moving and enjoy it!
  4. Increase your fruit and veggie intake to 7 – 9 servings per day – the anti-inflammatory diet is one that we absolutely recommend. This way of eating calls for a significant amount of daily fruit and vegetables. One serving is approximately the size of your palm. The goal is 7 – 9 per day. If you’re just starting out and one is where you are at, take things slowly. Gradually work your way to that goal. Fruits and veggies are imperative to a long, healthy life.
  5. Decrease your meat intake – we’re not here to make everyone a vegetarian or vegan. That is a personal decision only you can make. But what we can say is that by reducing your meat intake, you will be healthier, and so will our planet. To be clear, ‘meat’ is defined as any animal that used to live – chicken too! People often ask ‘does that mean chicken too?’. Yes! Replace your meat intake with fish and seafood, beans and lentils, tofu and soy products. Meat will slow down your digestive system, in turn slowing down your immune system. It has also been shown to cause chronic inflammation, heart disease and cancer.
  6. Eat beans every day – yes, we said it! Beans and lentils might be the one thing that most people don’t eat on the daily, but really should. From chickpeas to black beans to kidney beans – they are all great. A terrific source of protein, great for the digestive system and repairing your gut health, beans should be included in your day, every day. Hummus and veggies, black bean soup, or a mixed bean salad are some of our favorite ways to sneak it all in.
  7. Eat more fish – aim for 2 – 6 times per week. Again, with the anti-inflammatory diet, this is one that we highly recommend. Fish is great for your digestive system, heart, brain, blood – everything! Eating more fish will get your health and wellness on track. Be sure to not deep fry or soak it in sauce…fish is best baked or grilled for optimal health benefits.
  8. Laugh more – seriously. This one is so important. Let’s be honest, we have had a lot of reasons to not laugh in the last two years. Depression and mental health issues are truly at an all-time high. But laughing really is good for your health. From lowing your blood pressure to boosting your T-cells, laughing really is the best medicine.
  9. Make time for friends, family and connections – as we age, our brains begin to shrink just like every other muscle in our body. To help combat this, social connection is imperative. The studies of the Blue Zones also note the importance of friendships and social connection. Whether you are meeting friends through church, volunteering, work or your neighbourhood, having time carved out for a social element is really important. Friends can help us lower our stress, have a laugh, feel connected. It is easy to let this not be a priority – be sure to make it one.
  10. Know your numbers – most people know how tall they are and how much they weigh, but the really important numbers they are left not knowing. Numbers that are really important for you to know, and ensure they are at a good place, include your blood pressure, resting heart rate, blood sugar and hormone levels. You should be going to see your doctor annually for a check-up (yes, EVERY year!) and ensure that you get blood work done to check these numbers as well as to ensure your vitamin and mineral numbers are all up to snuff. Sometimes the simplest of things can cause us to feel energy depleted or be getting sleepless nights. Know your numbers.

We truly hope your 2022 is your best year yet. If you are looking to take your nutrition to the next level, you should join Andrea from our team for the Best You Nutrition Reset starting on January 9. For more information and to register, see here.

Best You Nutrition Reset

Without our health, what do we really have? It’s a question I have been pondering a lot lately. I recently spoke to a group of national team managers for a large Canadian company about what “healthy” means to them. To each individual, it really means something different. And that can definitely change as we age. What healthy means to you in your 30s is probably not the same in your 40s, 50s and 60s. The changes in our life go hand and glove with our priorities, and that includes the priority of health.

For this reason, I have developed an excellent program about the key pillars of health. This online and live program is launching in January of 2022, and I honestly can’t wait to deliver it. The four week Best Your Nutrition Reset will teach you how to modify your eating and lifestyle habits to supercharge your health. While teaching you how to have a healthy relationship with food, additional benefits you can expect include weight loss, increased energy, better sleep, feeling healthy again and much more. The time is NOW to reset, renourish and reclaim your health!

Details:
Dates: Sundays in January – January 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2022.
Time: 12pm CST
Where: Zoom!
Cost: $159 for ALL FOUR SESSIONS!
Tickets: Purchase on Eventbrite here

I have carefully chosen four topics that I know are the most important for a long, healthy and happy life. Topics include:

     1. Digestive Health
     2. Weight Loss
     3. Hormone Balancing
     4. Immunity Health

But it is more than just four group sessions. I am truly dedicated to help you achieve your health and nutrition goals for 2022. I will work along side you, in the trenches, smashing those goals and feeling great again. I will do that by also including:

     • 25 minute one-on-one coaching call with me
     • Weekly Emails including Session Notes, Weekly Tasks, Recipes, Recommended Readings and More
     • The BYN Food & Mood Journal, an effective tool to help track your journey to greater health

Wondering what this is really all about? Here are more details about each session to help you decide if this is the program you have been waiting for.

Session 1 – Digestive Health
The two keys to a long, healthy life are a clean digestive system and a strong immune system. Our digestive system is in charge of providing all of the nutrients that we eat to our cells, organs, muscles and more. It needs to be an absolute priority when talking about your health. This session will teach you how the digestive system works, how it affects your stress levels and mental health, and leave you with tactical ways to repair your gut lining so that bloating, gas, digestive upset and all the rest of it is a thing of the past.

Session 2 – Weight Loss
News flash! The idea that all you need to do is eat less and workout more DOES NOT WORK for weight loss! This old-age way of thinking has been myth busted. This session will teach you what really DOES work, how our bodies’ weight gain and loss system works in conjunction with our insulin levels, how stress affects our weight, and how to turn your body into a fat burner instead of a sugar burner. This session is truly a game changer!

Session 3 – Hormone Balancing
Hormone imbalance symptoms can include unexplained weight gain, acne breakouts, fatigue, changes in sex drive, depression, joint pain, and irritability. Ensuring women are understanding what role nutrition plays in the balancing of their hormones is key. But when was the last time a healthcare professional talked to you about your hormones? The time is now to understand what role your hormones play in your physical and mental wellness and how food can help balance it all.

Session 4 – Immunity Health
Our immune system is our body’s natural defense system against foreign invaders such as colds, flus, viruses and disease. A strong immune system is key to both short term and long term health. Is yours in check? This session will teach you about the best (and worst!) food and lifestyle choices you can make to strengthen your immunity. Don’t we all want to live a long, happy and healthy life? This session can help you do it.

The passion I have for my clients and the nutrition work that I do really makes me feel connected to the world. I am on a really terrific path of health and happiness  and I want YOU to join me. If you think you’re ready to do it, please join me for the Best You Nutrition Reset and book your spot today here.

Keeping Sport Safe – Safe Sport Speaker Series

The Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba and FIT Women and Girls are proud to bring together speakers from across Canada for the Keeping Sport Safe – Safe Sport Speaker Series. From May 10 – 20, 2021 you will hear from experts across the country on the issues facing sport in Canada with respect to Safe Sport initiatives. As part of sport administrators and coaches responsibilities for training with respect to Safe Sport in our great country, we have put together the following virtual Speaker Series:

TOPICS & DATES:

UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSAL CODE OF CONDUCT TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS MALTREATMENT IN SPORT
What is the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS)? What is its purpose? How will it affect you in your role in sport? In this session you will learn the answers to these questions and much more. It will include reviewing and understanding difficult grey areas such as “what is illegal vs. legal but harmful?” Whether you have never heard of the UCC before or are well-versed, this session will be informative and thought provoking.

May 10, 2021 @ 7PM CST

Presented by: TBA

REPORTING
Reporting inappropriate activity is a very sensitive and complex action that requires many processes to be in place. This session will cover questions such as who to report to? What records to keep? What and when to report? Who to disclose to? Where should reports be kept? Come away from this session with tactical steps and best practices to ensure your organization is well prepared in the event of incident reporting. Not only to protect your organization but also to support the athlete or coach reporting.

May 11 @ 12PM CST

Presented by: TBA

BOARD ROLES
This session takes a look at the impact of Safe Sport on Boards. What is the Board’s responsibility? In reporting issues? In policy? What training does your Board need around Safe Sport? What training does your staff need? Come away with this session with a checklist of things you and your organization can do to fall in line with best practices for Safe Sport.

May 12 @ 7PM CST

Presented by: TBA

HIRING PRACTICES
Keeping sport safe requires much more than a clear criminal record check. In this session, you will learn key steps and measures to put in place when looking to hire. From the job description, posting location, hiring committee and screening interview questions, you will be given the tools to equip you to hire the best candidate who will be great fit for your organization.

May 13 @ 12PM CST

Presented by: TBA

TECHNOLOGY & SOCIAL MEDIA
This session delves into the latest trends in dangers of social media and technology. From social media to chat rooms, texts and email, learn what is appropriate, what is not and what may seem like grey areas. Come away with tactical measures to put in place in order to protect yourself as a coach, your athletes and your organization. Also learn how to navigate “healthy touch” and how to use technology and social media as a catalyst to build positive and healthy coach-athlete relationships.

May 17 @ 12PM CST

Presented by: Winnipeg Police Services

GREY AREA BEHAVIOURS
Sometimes things may not be as clearly laid out as “appropriate” or “inappropriate” when it comes to safe sport. These “grey area” behaviours and circumstances are the ones with which we need the most help to navigate through. Using concrete examples and case studies, learn how to deal with these situations as a coach, athlete, parent and organization.

May 18 @ 7pm CST

Presented by: TBA

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Most sport organizations would say that they support diversity, equality and inclusion. However, is it just words? Learn what practical actions and steps you can take to be seen as an organization that welcomes and wants all people. That having a diverse and inclusive sport isn’t just about having a variety of people from different backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles for the sake of it. Believing that diversity and inclusion are what will enhance and grow the organization. Learn what you can do to make your sport or club more welcoming to different groups, not only for athletes and parents but for Board members and staff as well. Leave with a checklist to see where your organization is in terms of DEI and what you can do to improve it.

May 19 @ 12pm CST

Presented by: TBA

SAFE SPORT BEYOND POLICY
Once you have all of your boxes checked off and best practices in place, what else can you do to promote Safe Sport? What type of culture do you need to ensure a safe sport environment? How do you create this culture? How do we get more people to understand what the issues are that face sport in this arena and why is it important? As a parent, what should you look for when choosing a sport or activity for your child? What can administrators and coaches do to discourage “predators” from seeking out their sport/organization? This session tackles these questions and you will feel empowered with the knowledge to make changes to ensure sport is safe for all.

May 20 @ 7PM CST

Presented by: Jeff Powell & Sandi Kirby

All sessions for the Keeping Sport Safe – Safe Sport Speaker Series will be held virtually through Zoom. By attending 3 session, you are eligible to receive 3 NCCP points.

Each session will be approximately 45 minutes in length, followed by a Zoom question and answer and discussion period for approximately 20 – 30 minutes with the speaker and those attending through Zoom.

For ticket prices and to register, please click here!

Will Amateur Sports Recover After COVID?

Simply put, if a sport or activity was facing participation issues before the pandemic hit, recovering registration numbers will be a slow process. And with only 38% of girls participating in sport, female sports is going to be a slow comeback.

Currently, both in-school and after school sports are on hold in our province. Complete seasons have been cancelled in almost every sport, and could potentially face this for a second round in 2021. Kids are not only missing out on the exercise, fun and comradery that sports brings, but the high school level athlete is potentially missing out on scouting opportunities and scholarships for Fall 2021.

It has been said ‘we’re all in the same boat’ when talking about Covid. We’re perhaps in the same storm, but definitely not in the same boat. Same goes for sports. From a recreational and club level standpoint, sport has seen a decline of up to 97% in participation and membership in some sports. The physical and mental health benefits from sport to Canadian society cannot ever be underestimated.

Let’s look at Swimming for example. According to Swimming Canada, “With restricted access to pools, approximately only 30 per cent of all swimming clubs have reached their 2019-20 registration numbers. Slightly more than half the clubs have seen at least 75 per cent of their membership return. Swimming Canada membership numbers are at just under half of what is normally seen in October of each season (September and October are key months to swimming members returning to the sport).”

With 282,000 individual training sessions completed, there has not been any recorded or reported transmissions at a club or university swimming training session.

Recreational, club and university swimming are often likened to a feeder system for high-performance programming in sports. The younger swimmers are the future of the sport – they are the future Olympians and Paralympians for our country. If we miss two years of recreational sport now, does a 2024 or 2028 Olympic hopeful team exist? This is a critical issue for the future of sport and could impact Canada as a nation.

As we all know, the 2020 Olympic Games were postponed to Summer 2021. 2016 saw one of the most successful Olympics for the sport of Swimming our country has ever seen. Penny Oleksiak broke the Canadian record for most medals (4) won by a single Canadian athlete in any Summer Olympic Games and was the youngest ever Canadian gold medalist. The six medals won by Team Canada in swimming was the most since the 1984 Olympics. The sport was on a high…and for the 2021 Team Canada hopefuls, there is much in question about what will happen for not only the future of the sport, but for their own road to the Olympics.

Winnipeg’s own Kelsey Wog is currently ranked in the top two for swimming in Canada. Her races, 200 Breaststroke and 200 Individual Medley, have the chance of landing her a spot on the Canadian Olympic Team this Spring. She has been dreaming about this moment since 2016. For any high-performance athlete in any year, the dedication and work ethic needed to succeed is off the charts. During a world-wide pandemic, things have taken on a new set of issues.

“All the uncertainty is the most difficult thing, not being able to know if I will have access to a pool or training facility tomorrow.  It has also been tough on (all) athletes because Olympic years’ are special and everyone puts everything into them, and now athletes are needing to put everything into this year again, yet it may not be possible to do because of Covid restrictions, so that is stressful and mentally draining.”

While continuing to train when she can, Wog has managed to trust the process and continue to strive towards her Team Canada goals. But it isn’t always easy.

“Having confidence and believing that you can do it while trusting the process, knowing you have given it your best effort and that you are prepared.  I have really struggled with confidence and believing in myself that I can do it, and this is something that I have worked on.  For me to me believe in myself, I needed to be confident in the work I had put into training, and trust that I have done everything that I possibly could to be ready for the race,” says Wog.

Wog is a huge proponent for girls in sport, and wants to see every young girl try the sports that excite them. Her support network, including her coaching team, family and friends, has been there for her every step of the way, which has helped her navigate this strange time as an athlete. The encouragement from her parents has been, what she feels, key to her success.

While there isn’t an easy answer as to how sport is to get through this time in history, it is important for us to understand that missing sports is a big issue for our country right now. We miss cheering on our Jets, watching the road to the Olympics for some of our hometown favorites, cheering our daughters on at their volleyball games. It is part of our culture and something that brings us together as a community. We need to ensure that we put in a valiant effort for the return to sport as a province and as a country, and do our best to keep ourselves and our kids active so the return to sport won’t be a question of if, but rather when.

How to Live Your Healthiest Happiest Life

Something I have always had a huge fascination with is centenarians and longevity. What can we all do in our day to day living to live a longer, healthier and happier life. This Spring I started my Integrative & Holistic Health and Nutrition Coaching certification and I was over the moon excited when one of the guest lecturers was Dan Buettner. Dan is the person behind the ‘Blue Zones’ which not only focuses on longevity secrets in terms of what you as an individual can do, but also how you can transform your community to live longer and better.

Dan, in partnership with National Geographic, has researched communities around the globe that have the highest life expectancy. Blue Zones are places in the world where people not only live longer, but healthier as well than anywhere else on earth – without medication or disability. To date, five Blue Zones have been identified:

  • The Italian island of Sardinia
  • Okinawa, Japan
  • Loma Linda, California
  • Costa Rica’s isolated Nicoya Peninsula
  • Ikaria, an isolated Greek island

So, what’s the secret? This is the part that I love. The number ONE indicator of how long you will live is how long you THINK you will live. It’s your attitude. Your positive spirit. Your optimistic outlook. And a close second? Your DAILY fruit and vegetable consumption.

In fact, 80% of the factors that determine your longevity are to do with lifestyle and environment, with the remaining 20% via your genetics. There are a few common denominators that they have found across the board with the five Blue Zones:

  1. Natural Movement – moving every single day. Not a specific type of ‘workout’ but natural movement like walking and yard work.
  2. Daily Ritual of Prayer – this doesn’t have to be faith based. Meditation or naps to help reduce your stress can also work. I think the key here is that it reduced your stress. We know that stress can cause everything from weight gain to cancer, so ensuring we do what we can to keep it low is really important.
  3. A Strong Sense of Purpose – I love this one. Do you have a strong sense of purpose? Do you wake up every single day with a positive intention or goal? Are you tuned in on why you are here on earth? And pardon the cliché, but do you know what your why is?
  4. Eat Wisely – the interesting thing about the diets of the five Blue Zones is that there isn’t a magic item that everyone was eating. They were eating mindfully. They were eating until they were 80% full. They were eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day.
  5. Plant-based Diet – the five communities that were studies all had this in common. Very little meat, lots of beans, nuts, fruit and veggies. They ate their biggest meal in the morning. They pre-plated their meals rather than family-style, which had them eating less.
  6. Connection – while we can have the healthiest food on our plate, if we don’t have healthy and strong connections, we are not ‘getting it’. With all of the Blue Zone communities family was NUMBER ONE. Who you spend your time with is a key factor in your health and longevity.

I think this is some really good food for thought (insert obvious nutrition joke here). While what we are eating and how much we are exercising are important, they are not the be all and the end all. My favorite take-aways? Your attitude is the number one life expectancy indicator, so wake up happy, grateful and optimistic. And of course, the common denominator about connection and community. It is wonderful to have a positive attitude for your own health and wellness, but when you can take it one step further to those you love, you are really winning at the health and wellness game. And for parents, pre-plating your kids food can help ensure they are eating enough fruit and veggies at every meal.

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BOUTIQUE GYMS IN WINNIPEG DIVERSIFYING TO STAY AFLOAT THROUGH THE COVID-19 EPIDEMIC

While Manitoba’s chief public health officer has extended the current public health orders suspending non-critical businesses and operations in the province until April 28, boutique fitness facilities in Winnipeg are really feeling the pressure. Yoga studios, kickboxing gyms, and personal trainer fitness facilities have been ordered to be closed since March 17, 2020. With no income on April 1, and little to no government support for them, they are finding it difficult to stay afloat during this unprecedented time in history.

Like many, smaller fitness facility owners started their facilities to bring health and wellness to Winnipegers. During this pandemic, our health is being recognized as our number one concern, and their facilities are not able to provide the physical fitness component to their members’ lives. While they completely understand and respect the reasoning for social distancing and having to close non-essential businesses at this time, their livelihood is at serious risk.

As true health and wellness professionals, many owners are diversifying their offerings to provide fitness and much needed motivation and connection to their members. Examples include:

  • Infinity Health Coaching – providing both free and paid options for online strength training and HIIT workouts to all Winnipeggers, as well as online accountability one-on-one coaching for clients to help with nutrition, stress management and fitness.

 

  • Fit Women & Girls – providing online workouts, both Youtube and Live videos, through their social media channels to give those who are self-isolating added motivation and ideas on how to stay fit during this pandemic.

 

  • Winnipeg Women’s Kickboxing & Muay Thai – providing online workouts four times per week to their members who wish to pay a nominal fee to help the facility stay afloat during this pandemic. 45 minute workouts include body weight and free weight exercise, cardio-vascular routines and kickboxing single and partner drills.

 

  • The Yoga Barre – providing free barre and yoga classes via their Instagram story @tyb.live. They also have a Karma Class Pass for a nominal fee for members to have more in-depth workouts each day.

 

  • Various Provincial Sport Organizations, such as Cycling Manitoba and Manitoba Rowing Association, are coaching their High Performance and provincial team athletes via online workouts using technologies such as Facebook Live or Zoom.

While this is an unprecedented time in history, it is important to find the positives each time, and do our best to keep our health and wellness top of mind. With the immense amount of added stress, physical fitness is more important now than ever. Exercise has direct stress reducing and mood boosting benefits as it helps increase the production of the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, also known as endorphins. Exercise also reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. Kudos to the leaders in Winnipeg’s fitness industry for diversifying their offerings for their clients needs.

 

Jeanette Duncanson – A Woman Soaring in Manitoba Business

At Fit Communications, to say we are passionate about supporting strong, powerhouse women is an understatement. We love sharing information specifically for women about nutrition, fitness, parenting and business. Over the summer, two articles really hit home with us that we shared throughout or social media. The first, from Forbes Magazine bringing light to the fact that Serena Williams in the only female athlete in the Top 100 Paid Athletes in the World. And in fact, she’s ranked pretty far down the chain for such a well-recognized and established athlete at #63.

The second article was from the Winnipeg Free Press showcasing the top 10 City paid Winnipeg positions – whereby ALL were male.

Between the two of these articles it had us shaking our heads asking WHY is there still such a disconnect? Why is the hill for women still so high to climb? And better yet…who is doing this RIGHT?!

With our boutique marketing agency, we work with some of the largest food manufacturers in the province. In doing so, we get to meet some really great people who are mega passionate about what they do. Case in point? Jeanette Duncanson with Sysco.

I met Jeanette is a meeting with one of our clients, and she noticed my notebook was from SHEDay. In February of this year I was asked to be part of a panel on health, to the sold-out SHEDay conference. I was there to give my thoughts on physical health. It’s such a massive topic, with so many elements, and I was thrilled to be a part of the day. Jeanette and I quickly realized we had lots in common so I thought it would be great to sit down with her another time to chat about Winnipeg women in business.

Jeanette, a born and bred Winnipegger has been with Sysco for fourteen years, and currently in the position of Regional Marketing Manager for Sysco Prairies. A mother of two, she has seen the company grow not only in Manitoba, but across Canada in massive ways.

As it turns out, Sysco is one of the companies that is totally ‘doing it right’ when it comes to women in business. Some of their highest ranked positions in their company are held by women. To name a few, the President of Sysco Prairies is Kim Doherty; VP Corporate Multi-Unit, National Sales is Janice Gagnon; VP of Merchandising is ChristineMoroz; and VP of Field Sales & Marketing for Canada is Sarah Anseeuw.

With over 300 people employed in their Winnipeg site alone, and the largest food supplier in Manitoba, Jeanette is part of a massive team doing big things in our province. Sysco is truly an A to Z business. They can supply a business with everything from paper to food to training to equipment. They have a full business resource team, specialists, and culinary resource team all there to help businesses thrive and grow. They are more than just an order taker and order maker kind of company. From leadership training to cost control to help building menus, Sysco is there for their customers in every way.

I asked her what she thinks makes Sysco different, especially as it relates to women in business. Jeanette said, “Kim Doherty has played a huge role in having females put into power positions. She helps put strong confident women in these positions, she’s a role model and mentor and helps pave the way for other women. Not only for Sysco, but for the food service industry overall. Diversity, inclusion, and the Women’s Food Service Forum are all big pieces of Sysco culture. They are a broad, open minded company that strives to be a leader.”

There’s a saying ‘We can’t be what we can’t see’ when it comes to kids, especially girls, when talking about having role models in place. If a girl only sees women as hairstylist, nurses and teachers (which these are all incredible positions don’t get me wrong!) then she might not be able to see herself as a lawyer, a doctor or the Prime Minister of Canada. We need to showcase the women in these positions more often to young girls so they can have big dreams for themselves and truly feel like there are NO limits on what they can be or achieve.

According to Jeanette, the best way to do this is to be passionate about what you do. The rest will come if you follow your passion. Give things your all, follow your dreams, don’t give up, work hard and stay dedicated. Sysco is a place that really encourages its team and employees to grow and continue to learn. She loves that. For not only her work life but for her own self development. The better ‘Jeanette’ she is, the better employee, mom, friend, all roles – she will be.

We love writing stories about women in our community who are killing it. If you have someone in mind who you think would be great for us to write about, let us know! You can sign up for our newsletter here or email us at info@fitcommunications.ca

 

Let’s Hear It For the Boys!

From day one, our focus for our FIT Women and Girls initiatives has, of course, been centred around female empowerment, nutrition, health and sport. It’s not that we don’t love the boys, of course we do! But we are two women who have experienced life in sport from only our perspective. The struggles that face girls and women in sport and fitness are not the same as they are for boys. We know that boys and men also struggle with body image, sport participation, bullying and more. And that is why we are super excited to introduce you to Sean Kingswell, and Rising Sons Coaching.

In June, Sean approached us after seeing our work with our FITGirls Directory and Events in the media. Based in Toronto, he could see the obvious passion similarities in the work that we do. Rising Sons Coaching is an online comprehensive wellness program that teaches confidence, mental health (stigma reduction, awareness and skills), fitness, wellness, mindset, character development and life skills to teen and preteen boys.  It is also an initiative to create a community for boys to develop and grow their mind, body and spirit.

Sean’s background is truly in helping others. As a wellness coach and personal trainer he has gained coaching certifications in working with adolescents on confidence and self-esteem coaching, lifestyle coaching, personal training, nutrition, and stress management coaching. And with all of his spare time (yikes!) he is a professional firefighter, and has 3 sons.

The Rising Sons Coaching program is geared for boys in that it is based on the learning style of teen boys. For parents who are looking to build good building blocks for their sons and ensuring that these topics are effectively understood is vital for long term health, success and happiness.

The program is completely online and can start anytime. Their goal is simple – to help build boys who are resilient, capable, strong and kind.  They want to reduce mental health stigma and coach stress management, teach long term fitness, and enact our G.R.E.A.T man principle (Gratitude, Respect, Empathy, Altruism and Tolerance).  Rising Sons Coaching facilitates components of wellness including sleep, nutrition, injury prevention and more, as well as life skills such as responsibility, risk management, attitude, goal setting, and problem solving.

For us to truly build up the next generation, we need to ensure that boys have a solid understanding of these subject areas, and are learning from mentors in the community. Boys face numerous challenges in this day and age including issues with motivation, resiliency, self-care, poor mental health consequences, antiquated or confused outlooks on confidence or masculinity, drug use, goal orientation, risky behaviours, poor body image, obesity and more. Programs like Rising Sons is helping put a positive light in some dark arenas.

Boys and girls do not learn the same. They are faced with different challenges and have different strengths. If you have ever taught in a classroom or on a playing field, you know this first hand. We can’t teach them the same way, but we can have the same goals in mind. To help the next generation of young people to be strong, confident, kind, intelligent amazing humans.

For more information on Sean or to register for the Rising Sons Coaching program, follow this link.

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Girls Participation in Sport

Last week we put out a media release surrounding girls in sport in Canada. According to the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS), 41% of girls between the ages of 3 – 17 do NOT participate in sport. More startling is that by the age of 10, if a girl has yet to participate in sports, there is only a 10% chance that she will be physically active as an adult.

We at FIT Communications are looking to change this by providing more options to parents for their girls to participate in sport and activities in Winnipeg this summer. Our FITGirls programming has created a free online list for parents to find these opportunities which also provides discounts to activities. The FITGirls Directory consists of organizations that believe in our city’s girls and the benefits of sport and fitness in their lives. They are diverse in their programs but consistent in their delivery of quality programs for those looking for a unique and super experience.

In addition, we have put together a listing of summer camps for parents to choose from – encompassing a wide rand of activities – from synchronized swimming to Skyzone trampoline camp.

We know that participating in sports improves girls’ confidence and self-esteem, while providing them with the lifelong skills of healthy living, team work, time management and so much more. We want to provide as many opportunities for girls in our city as possible with our FITGirls programming.

We are beyond grateful for the local and national media coverage we received, including Winnipeg, Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton. Here are a few of the media spots for you to see:

Global News – Winnipeg Team Promoting Ways to Get More Girls Active In Sports

CTV News – FITGirls Directory & Summer Activities in Winnipeg

CityNews TV – Encouraging Young Girls to Be Physically Active

CHVN – Young Girls Lacking Physical Activity

CJOB Radio 

If you are passionate about health and the future of the girls in our country, please sign up for our newsletter here today!

Rishona Hyman – Making a Splash in Winnipeg

 

What would you say if your son or daughter wanted to make a career out of teaching swimming lessons?
Would you be excited or disappointed? Now what would you say if your son or daughter wanted to be an entrepreneur, and be a leader and role model to hundreds of staff and students? What if he or she wanted to teach people how to save lives? What about teaching people a life-skill? Well, Rishona Hyman is that daughter and she’s doing it all and killing it!

Rishona Hyman has always loved teaching swimming lessons. It is her passion. She started teaching swimming lessons twenty-one years ago and started Aqua Essence Swim Academy fifteen years ago. This was during a time when “private swimming lessons” were really few and far between and were really flying under the radar. Rishona has changed the way people view private lessons and swimming. Rishona prides herself on providing positive and quality programs to her students. She has small teacher/student ratios and tailors to individual learning styles so that each student is “seen” and given the attention they deserve.

“I truly believe that swimming lessons should be a priority. It is a life skill and more than that there is so much goodness that can come from a swimming lesson. I am motivated to change the way we, as a society, view swimming and first aid/CPR. The benefits on poverty, injury prevention, fitness and overall health are incredible.”

Aqua Essence Swim Academy has evolved from swimming lessons to now include triathlon training, a swim club, CPR, first aid and even babysitting courses. This is a far cry from the start of Rishona’s business – her self-created part-time job. Becoming an entrepreneur and making a business out of her passion was a bit of a “learn as you go” process. She is a self-taught entrepreneur who has had to figure it along the way. “I am a leap of faith person” – she believed in herself and her goals and just knew it would have a way of working itself out.

As a female entrepreneur, Rishona admits that sometimes people don’t take her seriously – maybe because she’s a woman, maybe it’s because of her business’s industry – maybe a bit of both. She says that people tend to think that this is just a “hobby” for her. That is so far from the truth. Although she loves it, it’s beyond a full-time gig. Imagine running swimming lessons, CPR, first aid and babysitting courses (planning, programming, hiring, registration, finances, website maintenance, marketing) for hundreds of students across ten City of Winnipeg swimming pools, multiple private pools and even a hotel! Not to mention managing and inspiring a staff of 40 plus (many of whom are students!!). They run courses seven days a week and twelve hours a day! This doesn’t sound like a very relaxing “hobby!”

With a mostly young staff, Rishona has proven to be a great employer by taking time to know each individual and motivate each one. “I really try to have an open-door policy and really want to get to know them as people. I feel that once you know someone and know what makes them tick and share stories you can then motivate them. It is definitely getting harder to motivate but I just keep trying. I also believe that motivation comes from within and that we can try to motivate people but you need to know what does it for them. One way, I try to motivate them is by continuously adding a growing what we do and giving them opportunities to try new things and have a new experience. For example, we teach babysitting courses, so anyone that wants to do this needs to take some additional training adding to their skills and abilities, they also get a compensation increase for having more certifications. Teaching courses like babysitting, first aid or CPR gives my staff a great opportunity to go out into the community, teach out of the water and share their leadership skills while passing on valuable knowledge.”

On top of it all, Rishona is a wife and mother of 2 young children. So how does she do it? She admits to being very fortunate to have a great husband. Like every working mother, Rishona struggles to find balance. With her family, she has made a pact to not be on her phone in the evening until her children are in bed. She wants to be present with her kids and “devote my attention to them.” This isn’t always the easiest especially when she is potentially “on call” until lessons end at 9pm. In addition to making quality time for her family, she also sees the benefit to taking time for herself. She realizes that is a role model to her children, staff and students. As a result, she does much to stay in shape and live a healthy lifestyle. In addition to swimming (not shocking!), Rishona also goes to 9-Round boxing and kickboxing five times a week, “Saikels” and rides her bike often. Like most female entrepreneurs with families, the question is when does she sleep?

With such a busy schedule why does she do it ALL? “I am inspired by my staff and our families and students. I love the connections and relationships to people throughout the city. I love peoples’ stories. I still get excited knowing we have made a difference in someone’s life. I love hearing how happy people are. These stories and the people inspire me to keep growing and adapting. Swimming has so many lifelong benefits that I just get excited when I see it working and benefiting someone.”

“I love what I do so much! I love that I have been able to continue to do what I love the most, teaching people to swim and be safe in and around water including first aid.”

So what are Rishona’s words of wisdom for female entrepreneurs? “”I can do hard things!” I would tell someone to make sure that they really passionate about what they want to do. You don’t have to think of everything right away but you need to be an excellent problem solver as inevitably problems will arise. And to always like to treat people as you would like be treated.”

If you are interested in learning more about Aqua Essence Swim Academy and the terrific programming they offer, please visit them online at https://www.aquaessence.ca.